Far From Perfect
by ScorplinginTraining
Summary: In which Paige and Walter have their first real fight as a couple. What if the fault lies in an unexpected direction? Rated K plus for a little language.


**FAR FROM PERFECT**

 **AN: I know Walter will always be the one to screw up on the show, but what if he isn't always to blame? My take on that...**

The fight was stupid. But it was ugly.

It seemed to come from out of the blue.

It started with a few belligerent sounding questions from him at the end of an absolutely exhausting day. She had reacted badly, immediately retaliating with some defensive accusations. What followed was sneering, sarcastic comments from him. It quickly escalated into yelling, admittedly mostly hers as she started digging up his past mistakes. Next came glaring silence from him and angry, frustrated tears from her. Then there was the jarring slam of a door as he left and her shouted, "Don't bother coming back! I've had enough!" Her biting words reverberated into the tense silence that lingered. Seething, she found herself standing alone in the kitchen wondering what the hell just happened.

Paige was well aware the two of them had their issues since they'd become a couple. Being with Walter was not without its challenges. So far, it seemed to be mostly minor irritations though. And when she discussed things with him rationally, he usually tried his best to improve. She was forced to admit, once she'd calmed down, Walter really did try. Occasionally he even tried a little too hard.

Her confusion and residual rage soon morphed into guilt when her son came out of his room, looking worried and asking in a somber voice, "Did you guys break up? Is Walter… coming back? I heard you yell at him not to come back." Ralph was trying bravely to hold it together, but she could tell he was fighting tears.

Well, damn. She hadn't been thinking clearly.

Normally when she and Walter needed to have a 'discussion', they would wait until they were alone. This was the first official fight they'd had since they started dating and things had spun out of control quickly before either of them had time to consider who might be listening.

Tamping down her negative feelings and taking a deep breath to steady herself, she replied in what she hoped was a soothing manner, "Ralph, honey, all couples get into arguments. You're old enough to know that. Most of the time it's simply down to misunderstanding each other. And when people fight, even if they love each other, they sometimes say things they don't mean." She ran her fingers through his hair then gently squeezed the back of his neck.

The boy shook his head sadly. "Walter doesn't," he murmured quietly, looking at the floor. She had to strain to hear his next words. "I don't think he'll come back. Walt's been upset and sad a lot recently."

Wait. He had?

"We'll work it out. You'll see. It's going to be okay." In spite of her words, Paige felt a sharp jab of fear.

What if Ralph was right? But if Walter was upset about something, she would have noticed. Wouldn't she? Sure, he'd been a little preoccupied lately, but so had she.

Her mind raced over what was said during the argument even as she asked her son, trying to keep the concern out of her voice, "You hungry? I guess it's just the two of us for dinner tonight. Want me to make some soup and grilled cheese sandwiches?" Her own stomach twisted painfully at the thought of eating.

"No, thanks. I don't want anything." Ralph replied dejectedly. He turned and shuffled back to his room and shut the door.

As soon as her son's door was closed, heart aching, she went directly to her phone and tried calling Walter. It went straight to voicemail. All anger forgotten and almost in a panic with Ralph's words echoing in her head, she only waited about two seconds before trying again, this time leaving a halting message, "Hey, Walter… It's me. Look, I'm really sorry about… before… Please call so we can talk it out. I promise I'll try to listen better this time…I'll try to be more mature. Please? Call me back…" The beep ending the recording sounded before she could tell him she loved him. She suddenly realized she was terrified she wouldn't get another chance.

Paige sat down on the end of the couch, put her phone next to her on the arm, and hugged her knees close to her chest, knowing she wouldn't rest until they straightened this whole mess out.

She must have been more tired than she thought because it was a little after 11pm when Paige was woken up by Walter pulling a blanket over her. Not remembering their argument at first, she smiled sleepily up at him. All she knew initially was she was happy and so very relieved to see him. When he didn't return her smile or lean down for a kiss, however, it all came flooding back and she sat up abruptly. The hours of worry were uppermost in her mind and she blurted, "Where the hell have you been?" before she could temper her words.

Never mind her angry words were partly to blame for him leaving and she had also ordered him not to come back, the first thing out of his mouth was, "I'm sorry," followed by a resigned sigh. Walter plopped down on the coffee table facing her and ran his hands down his sad, tired face. "Paige," he said, his tone bleak, "I-I know I'm not… much good at this, and I can tell when I'm failing. I would understand… if you didn't want… to do, uh, this any more."

"Is that what you want?" She said in a small voice.

Walter shook his head. "I-I want to be a good partner for you. I want you to be happy with me, but… I think being with-with, uh, me is too much for you."

"What makes you say that? Have I given you that impression somehow?"

"You say it _all_ the time." He picked up her hand as if he needed to establish she was still there and he was still allowed to touch her.

"When? I don't remember saying that." His words stung, but she was determined to keep herself under control and not lash out this time.

Playing with her fingers absently, so he could avoid looking in her eyes he answered, "You frequently make comments to Cabe about how difficult it is to be constantly surrounded by a bunch of geniuses. And today you told a client how you are never able to have a normal conversation because you are around us twenty-four hours every day. I usually just let those comments pass because I'm used to it and I know how we can be, but Ralph was there. He heard too. And-and that bothered me. I try not to put pressure on you, because I know you said you feel inadequate several times a day. But-but it was Ralph so I didn't handle myself as well as I could have. And while I really was trying to understand your motives, I may not have phrased the questions in the best way or in the best tone. Again, I'm sorry."

Paige could swear she felt her heart break. The pain was all the more intense because she knew he was absolutely right. She _had_ said those things. Many times. And he had been trying to understand. It only came out because he was feeling protective of her son. Her _genius_ son. She wanted to tell him she was sorry, that she loved him, that she would do better, but her throat felt clogged with tears and she couldn't choke anything out but a little sob.

When Walter moved to sit next to her on the couch, his face all concerned and contrite, it made her feel worse. So when he pulled her onto his lap, she buried her face in his shoulder and wept. It just made it harder when he kept rubbing her back and apologizing, begging her to tell him how to fix it, sure he was the one at fault as usual.

Finally reining herself in, Paige raised a shaking hand to brush back a strand of hair that was stuck to her damp face. She took a deep breath and in a tremulous voice, she said, "No, Walter. You were right to question the things I said. Maybe your phrasing or your tone wasn't great, but I was tired and handled it poorly. I was wrong, dead wrong, to say those things. I'm proud of the things you can do. And I _know_ you're always trying your best. I know I'm lucky to have you guys." When Walter snorted softly, she continued, "I _am_. And if I need some 'normal' time? I could look up some of my old girlfriends and go out for lunch or something. But I don't think I could make them understand my life now. It's only because I sometimes feel frustrated or inadequate or stupid that I make those comments. I guess I didn't realize… I'm very sorry. I love you. All of you geniuses, but especially you and Ralph. And I never meant to hurt you. Honestly."

Walter shook his head. "No. There's nothing to forgive. I understand. I'll try not to make you feel inadequate or stupid anymore."

Paige shifted away from him so she could look into his precious face. "You need to do me one favor, Walter."

"Anything. Name it." He was all adorable determination.

"You need to understand I make mistakes."

"Huh?"

"I. Make. Mistakes. Even with emotional stuff. Got it? You aren't the only one who struggles to maintain relationships. I want us to succeed as much as you do, and I need you to know I'm certainly not perfect and you have just as much right to put a few demands on me. You are great about listening to what I need and trying to accommodate me. But Walter, you have to tell me what you need too. And if I'm screwing it up, I need to know. Okay? Don't bottle it up or assume I'm right and you have to figure out how to work around me. You have every right to say something when I hurt you or do something that bothers you. You may have a harder time recognizing what you feel, but it doesn't make your feelings less valid. I love you, and I want you to be happy too. I want to be a good partner too. Please try to remember that?"

When he still looked a bit baffled, Paige pressed her forehead to Walter's, looked him directly in the eyes and said, "I love you and I love how you are." Then she touched her lips to his.

"Okay." He nodded solemnly. "I love you and I love how you are too. But since you mentioned it... I want you to know it bothers me when you flirt with that guy at Kovelsky's all the time."

"Walter. Really!? He's at least seventy-five. And he makes my coffee just right when I'm nice to him!" When her incredulous look was met by his amused gaze, she knew he was teasing her.

He pushed her back on the sofa and began tickling her, punctuating her giggles with kisses and demands she beg for mercy. Paige was about to take a few actions she knew would insure Walter would be begging for mercy of another variety, if she hadn't noticed her son standing by the end of the couch. He had a huge grin on his face even as his eyes pooled with happy tears. Ralph jumped into the fray and before long all three were a tangle of hugging limbs and they were all laughing like hyenas.


End file.
